northeast region · Pop. 1,031,890
Recorded review dates for 13 of 13 published categories. A review date is not a guarantee that requirements are current.
Delaware removed its $25,000 revenue cap in December 2023. No permit or inspection required for direct-to-consumer sales. Non-TCS foods including baked goods, condiments, dry goods, jams, jellies, candies.
Revenue cap removed December 2023 (was previously $25,000)
Delaware allows only jams, jellies, and fruit preserves under cottage food (cap removed December 2023). No permit required. Pickled products, fermented foods, and cured foods are all explicitly prohibited. Food safety training required as part of registration. Water-bath/high-acid only.
No revenue cap (removed December 2023)
Delaware allows honey under cottage food with 300-gallon annual exemption for small beekeepers. Annual apiary registration required with State Apiarist by January 30. Revenue cap removed December 2023. No online sales — direct in-person only.
No revenue cap (removed December 2023)
Delaware allows limited specialty dry goods under cottage food with no revenue cap (removed December 2023). Permit required. Dried herbs and basic spice blends permitted. Narrow list of allowed items. No online sales. Nut butters and infused oils prohibited.
No revenue cap (removed December 2023)
Delaware requires commercial feed registration through the Department of Agriculture. Annual license fee of $75 plus $35 per product. Facility inspection required. Delaware follows AAFCO model closely with strict enforcement.
No revenue cap; facility inspection required
Delaware does not permit fermented foods under its cottage food law. Very restrictive overall. Commercial processing license required for any fermented food production.
No revenue cap (removed December 2023)
Delaware has no standalone Food Freedom Act. Homemade food sales are governed by Delaware's cottage food law, which is permissive (no revenue cap, no license required). See the Cottage Food vertical for the full roadmap.
Revenue cap removed December 2023 (was previously $25,000)
Delaware has no standalone domestic-kitchen / home-kitchen license tier. Home food production is governed by Delaware's cottage food law, which is permissive (no revenue cap, no license required). See the Cottage Food vertical for the full roadmap.
Revenue cap removed December 2023 (was previously $25,000)
Delaware has no standalone farm-direct exemption. Farm value-added products are governed by Delaware's cottage food law, which is permissive (no revenue cap, no license required). See the Cottage Food vertical for the full roadmap.
Revenue cap removed December 2023 (was previously $25,000)
Delaware requires commercial feed registration through the Department of Agriculture. Annual license fee of $75 plus $35 per product. Facility inspection required. Complete & balanced pet food must meet AAFCO nutritional adequacy profiles. Delaware follows AAFCO model closely with strict enforcement.
No revenue cap; facility inspection required
Delaware requires commercial feed registration through the Department of Agriculture. Raw pet food requires facility inspection with focus on pathogen controls. Annual license $75 plus $35 per product. Must use USDA-inspected meat sources. Pathogen testing mandatory.
No revenue cap; facility inspection and pathogen testing required
Delaware requires commercial feed registration for pet supplements through the Department of Agriculture. Annual license $75 plus $35 per product. Facility inspection required. Delaware follows AAFCO model closely with strict enforcement on supplement claims.
No revenue cap; facility inspection required
Delaware requires commercial feed registration for pet bakery products through the Department of Agriculture. Annual license $75 plus $35 per product. Facility inspection required. No cottage exemption. Strict AAFCO compliance.
No revenue cap; facility inspection required
Pet Food Regulations for Delaware
Commercial feed licensing, AAFCO compliance, fees, and feed control official contact
Review business-formation options and the recorded fees for Delaware. Confirm current fees and obligations with the state filing office; forming an entity does not guarantee asset protection.
LLC Filing Fee
$110
Annual Fee
$400
Processing Estimate
~21 days
DBA Fee
$25
13 of 13 published categories assessed. An overall band requires every published category to be assessed.
Revenue-cap periods follow normalized display labels, not verified legal reset rules. Missing or unrecognized periods display as annual; confirm the applicable period with the regulator.
Cottage Food
Canning & Preserves
Honey
Specialty Foods
Pet Treats
Get your personalized compliance roadmap, startup cost estimate, and step-by-step launch guide.
baked goods (without cream or meat fillings)
condiments
dry goods
jams
jellies
fudge
lollipops
chocolates
tortes
hard candies
rock candies
Del. Admin. Code tit. 16, § 4458A
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
jams
jellies
fruit butter
apple butter
fruit preserves
Del. Code Ann. tit. 16, § 122
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
raw honey
filtered honey
creamed honey
comb honey
infused honey
beeswax products
Del. Code Ann. tit. 16, § 122; Del. Code Ann. tit. 3, § 5301 (Apiary)
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
dried herbs
spice blends
tea blends
dry mixes
flavored salts
Del. Code Ann. tit. 16, § 122
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
dog treats
cat treats
pet food
pet snacks
3 Del. C. § 1701 et seq. (Delaware Commercial Feed Law)
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
Del. Code Ann. tit. 16, § 122 (fermented foods not listed as permitted)
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
baked goods (without cream or meat fillings)
condiments
dry goods
jams
jellies
fudge
lollipops
chocolates
tortes
hard candies
rock candies
No dedicated Food Freedom Act; governed by Del. Admin. Code tit. 16, § 4458A
Recorded review: June 18, 2026
baked goods (without cream or meat fillings)
condiments
dry goods
jams
jellies
fudge
lollipops
chocolates
tortes
hard candies
rock candies
No dedicated domestic-kitchen / home-kitchen license tier; governed by Del. Admin. Code tit. 16, § 4458A
Recorded review: June 18, 2026
baked goods (without cream or meat fillings)
condiments
dry goods
jams
jellies
fudge
lollipops
chocolates
tortes
hard candies
rock candies
No dedicated farm-direct exemption; governed by Del. Admin. Code tit. 16, § 4458A
Recorded review: June 18, 2026
dry kibble
wet/canned food
semi-moist food
fresh refrigerated food
3 Del. C. § 1701 et seq. (Delaware Commercial Feed Law)
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
raw frozen pet food
freeze-dried raw
dehydrated raw
3 Del. C. § 1701 et seq. (Delaware Commercial Feed Law)
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
joint supplements (glucosamine/chondroitin)
probiotics
omega fatty acids
vitamins
minerals
digestive enzymes
calming supplements
3 Del. C. § 1701 et seq. (Delaware Commercial Feed Law)
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
baked dog biscuits
pet birthday cakes
peanut butter cookies
pumpkin treats
3 Del. C. § 1701 et seq. (Delaware Commercial Feed Law)
Recorded review: March 1, 2026
Fermented Foods
Food Freedom Laws
Domestic Kitchen
Farm Direct
Complete Pet Food
Raw Pet Food
Pet Supplements
Pet Bakery
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